Pallet container

ABSTRACT

A pallet container for storing and for transporting a liquid filling material includes a base pallet, a lattice frame fastened thereon and made of metal bars, and a fabric cover suspended in the lattice frame and accommodating a liquid-tight inliner composed of a plastics film and/or metal foil for receiving the liquid filling material. The inliner arranged within the cube-shaped fabric cover is designed, for gas-assisted emptying, as a double chamber inliner with a rear chamber for blowing in compressed air or gas and a front chamber for receiving the liquid filling material. A film or foil separating wall located in-between avoids the sensitive filling material from directly contacting the blown-in compressed air.

The present invention relates to a pallet container for storing and for transporting in particular aseptic liquid filling materials, with a base pallet, a lattice frame which is fastened thereon and made of welded metal bars, and a fabric bag which is suspended in said lattice frame or a fabric cover in which a liquid-tight inliner composed of plastics film and/or metal foil for receiving the liquid filling material is arranged.

A pallet container of this type is already known, for example, from EP 2 149 508 B1. In said pallet container, the inner liquid-receiving inliner is designed so as to be exchangeable, for which purpose the outer fabric cover is provided with a large closeable flap opening at the top, through which the inliner can be exchanged. A disadvantage of the known pallet container is that in particular viscous filling materials can be emptied only slowly. Especially high viscous filling material, such as, for example, fruit concentrate with fruit pieces for jam production does not flow off by itself via the removal fitting. A further disadvantage of the known pallet container is that the inliner exhibits creases on being filled under pressure, and said creases can subsequently delay the emptying, in particular by the creases being able to block the opening of the removal connection piece.

it is the object of the present invention to propose a pallet container of the type mentioned at the beginning, in which the emptying of the liquid filling material, in particular if viscous filling material is involved, can be accelerated, wherein it is furthermore ensured that the emptying cannot be disturbed and obstructed by the possible creasing of the inliner.

This object is achieved according to the characterizing features of patent claim 1 in that the inliner arranged within the cube-shaped fabric cover is designed, for gas-assisted emptying, as a double chamber inliner with a rear chamber for blowing in compressed air or gas (“compressed air chamber” below) and a front chamber for receiving the liquid filling material (“filling material chamber” below). The double chamber inliner is sometimes also referred to in abbreviated form below as “inliner”.

For the emptying-promoting blowing in of compressed air, it is provided that the compressed air chamber is provided on the upper side thereof with a small connection piece for the connection of a compressed air line, wherein the front filling material chamber has on the front side thereof a base-side filling and removal connection piece for attaching a filling and removal fitting (the filling and removal fitting is also called “base valve” for short below).

So that the sensitive filling material can come only into operative contact, but not into direct contact with the compressed air—which would cause the aseptic filling material to be contaminated—a flexible elastic film or foil wall is provided within the double chamber inliner as a separating wall between the compressed air chamber and the filling material chamber.

Said separating wall runs vertically within the double chamber inliner from the upper side thereof to the lower side thereof in the unfilled state of the pallet container when the fabric cover is stretched therein.

This expedient refinement advantageously results in the fact that in the filled state of the pallet container, the filling material chamber is completely filled with liquid filling material and the compressed air chamber is completely empty, while in the emptied state of the pallet container, the filling material chamber is completely empty and the compressed air chamber is completely filled with compressed air, wherein, in the filled state of the pallet container, the separating wall between the compressed air chamber and the filling material chamber bears completely against the rear side of the double chamber inliner and, in the emptied state of the pallet container, bears completely against the front side of the double chamber inliner.

The cost-effective pallet containers according to the invention are to be used instead of expensive stainless steel IBCs. The filling installations for intermediate bulk containers at the filling material manufacturers (fillers) operate at a comparatively high filling pressure, and therefore the liquid filling material flows with a strong jet through the base-side filling and emptying fitting into the inliner. In customary pallet containers with film or foil inliners, this generally results in creases forming in the base of the film or foil inliner and the corners drawing in. Such creases are then a nuisance during the removal of the filling material through the base-side filling and removal fitting and can block the removal opening on the inside. In order to prevent this, a thin, stiff base plate on which the double chamber inliner is fixed is arranged within the fabric cover directly below the double chamber inliner.

In addition, the pallet container according to the invention is equipped with a residue emptying aid which ensures that even the smallest quantities of even highly viscous filling material can still be sucked out of the inliner without there being the risk of the film or foil of the inliner being able to be pulled in front of the opening of the removal connection piece by the powerful negative pressure for extraction by suction.

The invention is explained and described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, in an overall view, a pallet container according to the invention with suspended fabric cover and exchangeable inliner,

FIG. 2 shows a pallet container according to the invention with suspended fabric cover and cut-open illustration of the thin-walled inliner,

FIG. 3 shows the special folding in of a double-walled inliner for gas-assisted emptying of a pallet container according to the invention,

FIG. 4 shows the operation for the gas-assisted emptying of a pallet container according to the invention,

FIG. 5 shows, in a perspective illustration, a tubular residue emptying aid, and

FIG. 6 shows, in a side view, the residue emptying aid according to FIG. 5.

FIG. 1 illustrates a pallet container 10 according to the invention with base pallet 12, lattice frame 14 and suspended fabric cover 16 with inner-side inliner 18.

FIG. 2 illustrates the constructional design of the pallet container 10 according to the invention. The pallet container 10 according to the invention is formed as follows:

The lattice frame 14 with the fixedly connected base pallet 12 thereof serves for load and transport handling. It can be lifted and transported by industrial trucks and has already been tried and tested as a standard IBC with a polyethylene bubble. The fabric cover 16 with inliner 18 located on the inside is referred to by definition as a modular unit. The modular unit fulfills two tasks. Firstly, the static and dynamic forces which occur are absorbed by the strength and elasticity of the outer fabric cover 16 and, secondly, the inner-side inliner 18 serves for the gas and liquid tightness of the entire container. The fabric cover 16 is stretched in the lattice frame 14 by the four straps 40. In the unfilled state, the inliner 18 lies on the base of the fabric cover 16 and does not have any filling volume in this state. The inliner 18 is designed, for gas-assisted emptying, as a double chamber inliner. A gas connection 35 for the gas-assisted emptying is attached on the upper side of the inliner 18. Said gas connection 35 is fastened at the top to the fabric cover 16 but does not have any influence on the unfolding of the inliner 18 during the filling. The filling and removal connection piece 28 is fixed on the lattice frame 14 by means of the adapter plate 32. The adapter plate 32 has a trough toward the inside and therefore ensures the necessary positioning of the filling and removal connection piece 28 with attached filling and removal fitting 30 such that the latter does not protrude outward beyond the projection area of the lattice frame 14. The adapter plate 32 permits easy connection of the filling and removal fitting 30 to existing filling and emptying installations. The inliner 18 has a special folding configuration and is fixed on a base plate 20, for example by means of double-sided adhesive tape. The base plate 20 is located under the inliner 18 and also in front of the inliner 18 in the valve region. The base plate 20 is not fixed in the fabric cover 16. It is merely positioned over the basic area within the lattice frame 14 and the adapter plate 32. The function of the base plate 20 also includes protecting the inliner 18 against the penetration of sharp objects from below, and the horizontal support at high filling speeds. The access to the internal volume of the inliner 18 takes place via the filling and removal fitting 30, wherein the volume of the inliner 18 corresponds to zero in the unfilled state and to that of the filling material in the filled state. The volume of the inliner 18 is limited by that of the fabric cover 16. Optionally, a degassing connection piece can be attached on the upper side of the inliner 18. If the filling material is intended to be agitated by a gas prior to removal, the quantity of gas which exceeds the volume of the fabric cover 16 has to be let out via the degassing connection piece. For this purpose, as irreversible access, the viewing window 34 is opened or cut open and a sterile filter is screwed onto the degassing connection piece. The filling and removal fitting 30 is fixed on the lattice frame 14 by the adapter plate 32. The adapter plate 32 ensures the necessary distance of the filling and removal fitting 30. Said filling and removal fitting must not protrude beyond the projection area of the lattice frame 14. The adapter plate 32 permits an easy connection of the filling and removal fitting 30 to filling and emptying installations. Commercially customary filling cannons can be connected directly by means of the geometry thereof to the filling and removal fitting 30. The inliner 18 stands up by itself during the filling. A manipulation from the outside by the filler is neither required nor desired nor possible through the closed fabric cover 16.

The special folding-in of said double chamber inliner 18 and positioning on the base plate 20 for gas-assisted emptying of a filled pallet container 10 is illustrated schematically in FIG. 3. The inliner 18 is folded flat and fixed on the base plate 20. The separating wall is designed so as to run vertically within the double chamber inliner 18 from the upper side thereof to the lower side thereof in the unfilled state when the fabric cover 16 is suspended therein, wherein the gas connection 35 is fixed at the top to the fabric cover 16.

FIG. 4 shows the operation of said gas-assisted emptying in a corresponding sequence of images. The separating wall of the double chamber inliner 18 stands vertically in the fabric cover 16. The introduction of a gas or gas mixture (for example nitrogen, inert gas, compressed air) at a working pressure of below 500 mbar into the compressed air chamber 36 on the side opposite the filling and removal connection piece 28 results in the formation of a working bubble which replaces the volume of the flowing-out filling material with air or gas. The overall volume in the fabric cover 16 remains constant here. The volume of the gas bubble is also limited by the film or foil available. The film or foil is subjected to a tensile force which lifts the final approx. 20% of the liquid and pushes same in the direction of the filling and removal connection piece 28. An additional effect is that the internal pressure causes a positive pressure at the base valve 30 and, despite the negative pressure of the pump, the inliner 18 in the region of the base valve 30 does not collapse. A further advantage is the easier or assisted discharge of the liquid. The pumps used are often not self-priming.

FIG. 5 shows a tubular residue emptying aid 42 in a perspective illustration, and FIG. 6 shows the side view of the residue emptying aid 42.

For optimum functioning of the pallet container 10 according to the invention with inserted modular unit when filling and unfolding the inliner 18 in the filling plant at a filling company and when extracting the liquid filling material by suction at the customer emptier), the inliner 18 is equipped on the inside upstream of the opening of the base-side removal connection piece 28 with a particular means for the improved residue emptying of the filling material. Said means for the improved residue emptying of the filling material includes a short tubular residue emptying aid 42 which is designed as a flexible corrugated pipe 44 which is composed of thin plastics material and has a multiplicity of lateral bores 46, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The thin-walled corrugated pipe 44 has a wall thickness of approx. 1 mm, a length of approximately 300 to 500, preferably 400 mm, and a diameter of 35 to 57 mm, suitable for a 2″ connection. Said corrugated pipe is inserted through the filling and removal connection piece 28 into the double chamber inliner 18 and is screwed with the base valve 30 onto the filling and removal connection piece 28 of the inliner 18.

As becomes clear in FIG. 6, the lateral bores 46 are introduced into the corrugated pipe 44 from four directions, and therefore a row of bores 46 is always located just above the inliner base. It is thereby ensured that even very small quantities of residue liquid can still be sucked out of the inliner 18 without there being the risk of the film or foil of the inliner 18 being able to pull in front of the opening of the removal connection piece because of the powerful negative suction pressure.

With the refinement according to the invention of the pallet container 10 with double chamber inliner 18, a compressed-air-assisted emptying of in particular highly viscous filling materials, such as fruit concentrate with fruit pieces, is substantially improved in an advantageous manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   10—Pallet container -   12—Base pallet -   14—Lattice frame -   16—Fabric cover -   18—Double chamber inliner -   20—Base plate -   22—Extension of the base plate -   24—Film hinge -   25—Double-sided adhesive tape -   26—Opening in (22) -   28—Filling and removal connection piece -   30—Filling and removal fitting -   32—Adapter plate -   34—Closed viewing window -   35—Gas connection -   36—Compressed air chamber -   38—Filling material chamber -   40—Strap for tensioning the fabric cover -   42—Tubular residue emptying aid -   44—Flexible corrugated pipe -   46—Lateral bores -   48—Flange border end 

What is claimed is: 1-14. (canceled)
 15. A pallet container for storing and transporting an aseptic liquid filling material, comprising: a base pallet; a lattice frame fastened on the base plate and made of metal bars; a fabric cover suspended in the lattice frame; a liquid-tight inliner arranged within the fabric cover and configured to automatically unfold when filling the liquid filling material, said inliner being composed of a plastics film and/or metal foil and including a base-side filling and removal connection piece, said inliner being configured for gas-assisted emptying and having a first chamber for blowing in compressed air and a second chamber for receiving the liquid filling material, said second chamber having a front side in communication with the base-side filling and removal connection piece; a thin, stiff base plate which is arranged within the fabric cover below the inliner and to which the inliner is fixed; a connection piece provided on an upper side of the inliner for attachment of a compressed air line in communication with the first chamber; and a filling and removal fitting placed upon the filling and removal connection piece and fastened to a lower area of the lattice frame.
 16. The pallet container of claim 15, wherein the fabric cover has a cube-shaped configuration.
 17. The pallet container of claim 15, further comprising a film or foil wall formed within the inliner as a separating wall between the first and second chambers.
 18. The pallet container of claim 17, wherein the separating wall is configured to run vertically within the inliner from an upper side thereof to a lower side thereof in an unfilled state, when the fabric cover is suspended in the lattice frame.
 19. The pallet container of claim 15, wherein, in a filled state of the pallet container, the first chamber is completely empty, while the second chamber is completely filled with liquid filling material, with the separating wall between the first and second chambers bearing completely against a rear side of the inliner, and wherein, in an emptied state of the pallet container, the second chamber is completely empty, while the first chamber is completely filled with compressed air, with the separating wail between the first and second chambers bearing completely against a front side of the inliner.
 20. The pallet container of claim 15, wherein the base plate is connected on a front side thereof in a manner of a buckling fold via a film hinge to an extension which is sized to extend beyond an internal size within the lattice frame.
 21. The pallet container of claim 20, wherein the extension has a central opening for passage of the filling and removal connection piece of the inliner and fastening of the filling and removal connection piece from outside.
 22. The pallet container of claim 20, wherein the fabric cover and the inliner form a modular unit in a flat folded-in delivery state, said filling and removal fitting being attached to the extension, said extension being folded back flatly onto the inliner, when the inliner is folded.
 23. The pallet container of claim 22, wherein the fabric cover is stretched and fixed in the lattice frame, when the modular unit is suspended in the lattice frame, said extension being folded upward by 90° to assume a vertical position, further comprising an adapter plate sized to reach behind the filling and removal fitting and provided to fasten the extension to a front side of the lattice frame.
 24. The pallet container of claim 15, further comprising means for improved residue emptying of the filling material arranged on an inner side of the inliner anteriorly of an opening in the filling and removal connection piece.
 25. The pallet container of claim 24, wherein the means for improved residue emptying of the filling material is a flexible corrugated pipe made of thin plastics material and having a multiplicity of lateral bores.
 26. The pallet container of claim 25, wherein the corrugated pipe is configured to extend through the filling and removal connection piece of the inliner and screwed to the filling and removal connection piece of the inliner.
 27. The pallet container of claim 15, wherein the inliner is placed in the fabric cover without being fixed thereto. 